NEW DELHI: KL Rahul anchored India's innings with a display of resolve and class on a slow, challenging surface, scoring a fighting century to lift the hosts to 284 for 7 in the second ODI against New Zealand in Rajkot on Wednesday.

Rahul remained unbeaten on 112 from 92 deliveries, striking 11 boundaries and a six, and played the pivotal role in India's recovery by stitching together crucial partnerships in the latter half of the innings. His effort wrested momentum back from the New Zealand bowlers, who had earlier ripped through India's vaunted batting order.

The visitors were firmly on top when India slid from 99 for 1 to 118 for 4 before the midway stage, with the pitch offering little pace and variable bounce that made stroke-making difficult. Rahul, however, showed composure and game awareness to rebuild the innings.

Captain Shubman Gill also made a valuable contribution, scoring 56 off 53 balls to register his second consecutive half-century of the series.

New Zealand's fast bowlers set the tone early with disciplined lines and lengths, forcing Rohit Sharma into a cautious start. The Indian opener needed 11 deliveries to open his account, eventually finding rhythm with a classy lofted drive over cover. But for the second match in a row, Rohit's innings ended while attempting to clear the boundary, his bat turning at the moment of impact.

The only difference was while he was caught at mid on going inside-out in the first ODI, here, the ball went to the man at deep cover who took a sitter off Kristian Clarke (3/56).

A mishit each proved to be costly for the Indian leadership pair of Gill and Shreyas Iyer (8). A slow start to the innings notwithstanding, Gill had adjusted well to the nature of the pitch to gain pace in his innings, striking nine fours and a six over fine leg with a short-arm jab.

But Gill failed to read a slow and short ball rammed into the pitch by Kyle Jamieson, as he meekly pulled it straight to Daryl Mitchell for an easy grab at midwicket.

Iyer, who also took time settling in, fell cheaply when he hit one straight off Clarke to Bracewell at mid-off.

KL Rahul shines bright with sensational ton on tricky Rajkot surface

However, silence befell on the festive crowd at the Niranjan Shah Stadium when an innocuous delivery outside the off-stump took a thick inside edge and left Virat Kohli's middle stump flattened.

Kohli had begun with a first-ball four but regular wickets at the other end perhaps affected the rhythm with which he has been batting of late, as he had tried to guide the ball behind the wickets but played it on.

With India in need of stability, local hero Ravindra Jadeja (27) walked out amid loud cheers and played his part well in a 73-run stand for the fifth wicket with Rahul.

However, Jadeja too was beaten by one that stopped a little on him as he hit one back to Bracewell for a low catch.

With Nitish Kumar Reddy (20) in row, Rahul added another 57 for the sixth wicket before the comeback all-rounder too fell for a slow, short ball from Zak Foulkes.

(With PTI Inputs)